General Yamashita's capture and conviction

The discovery of a golden Buddha

Marcos gets wind of the prized loot

The golden Buddha sits in a luxury apartment

Trouble recovering the plundered wealth

17 more golden Buddhas waiting to be found

Treasure hunting is hurting the Philippines

Synopsis: In this special series, The Straits Times dives into some of the greatest unsolved mysteries in South-east Asia, and examines the underlying issues that they exposed.

In this episode, we follow the trail of fabled treasure stashed in tunnels and caves by retreating Japanese soldiers who found themselves with nowhere else to go as World War II drew to a close.

ST correspondent Raul Dancel speaks to Mr Arnel Cruz, spokesman of the Treasure Hunters Association of the Philippines, and archaeologist Jose Eleazar Bersales.

He also interviewed political analyst Lucio Pitlo III and retired US Navy officer Manny Paez, who was with a team of experts commissioned by the History Channel for a series on the mysterious buried treasure.

Highlights (click/tap above): (Headphones recommended)

02:21 General Tomoyuki Yamashita's capture and conviction

04:58 Mr Rogelio Roxas, a common locksmith, discovers a golden Buddha in a network of tunnels

06:19 Word of Mr Roxas’ find reaches the ears of the late Philippine dictator Ferdinand Marcos

08:59 Mr Manny Paez believes the missing golden Buddha is sitting inside a luxury apartment in New York

13:19 Mr Lucio Pitlo says it might be difficult to recover the dictator's plundered wealth if his son becomes the president

15:25 Mr Arnel Cruz claims there are 17 more golden Buddhas still waiting to be found

16:14 Filipinos' indiscriminate treasure hunting is hurting the country, says Professor Jose Eleazar Bersales

Produced by: Tan Jia Ning (jianing@sph.com.sg), Raul Dancel (rdancel@sph.com.sg), Magdalene Fung (magfung@sph.com.sg), Ernest Luis and Teo Tong Kai

Edited by: Teo Tong Kai

Follow The Unsolved Mysteries Of South-east Asia podcast series here every third Tuesday of the month till July:

Channel: https://str.sg/wuZ2

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/wu3W

Spotify: https://str.sg/wuJ9

Google Podcasts: https://str.sg/wE7i

SPH Awedio app: https://www.awedio.sg/

Website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg

Read Raul Dancel's articles: https://str.sg/w7CR

---

Discover more ST podcast channels:

All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7

The Usual Place: https://str.sg/wEr7u

In Your Opinion: https://str.sg/w7Qt

COE Watch: https://str.sg/iTtE

Asian Insider: https://str.sg/JWa7

Health Check: https://str.sg/JWaN

Green Pulse: https://str.sg/JWaf

Your Money & Career: https://str.sg/wB2m

Hard Tackle: https://str.sg/JWRE

#PopVultures: https://str.sg/JWad

Music Lab: https://str.sg/w9TX

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ST Podcast website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

ST Podcasts YouTube: https://str.sg/4Vwsa

---

Special edition series:

True Crimes Of Asia (6 eps): https://str.sg/i44T

The Unsolved Mysteries of South-east Asia (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuZ2

Invisible Asia (9 eps): https://str.sg/wuZn

Stop Scams (10 eps): https://str.sg/wuZB

Singapore's War On Covid (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuJa

---

Get The Straits Times' app, which has a dedicated podcast player section:

The App Store: https://str.sg/icyB

Google Play: https://str.sg/icyX

#unsolved

Synopsis: In this special series, The Straits Times dives into some of the greatest unsolved mysteries in South-east Asia, and examines the underlying issues that they exposed.
In this episode, we follow the trail of fabled treasure stashed in tunnels and caves by retreating Japanese soldiers who found themselves with nowhere else to go as World War II drew to a close. ST correspondent Raul Dancel speaks to Mr Arnel Cruz, spokesman of the Treasure Hunters Association of the Philippines, and archaeologist Jose Eleazar Bersales. He also interviewed political analyst Lucio Pitlo III and retired US Navy officer Manny Paez, who was with a team of experts commissioned by the History Channel for a series on the mysterious buried treasure. Highlights (click/tap above): (Headphones recommended) 02:21 General Tomoyuki Yamashita's capture and conviction 04:58 Mr Rogelio Roxas, a common locksmith, discovers a golden Buddha in a network of tunnels 06:19 Word of Mr Roxas’ find reaches the ears of the late Philippine dictator Ferdinand Marcos 08:59 Mr Manny Paez believes the missing golden Buddha is sitting inside a luxury apartment in New York 13:19 Mr Lucio Pitlo says it might be difficult to recover the dictator's plundered wealth if his son becomes the president 15:25 Mr Arnel Cruz claims there are 17 more golden Buddhas still waiting to be found 16:14 Filipinos' indiscriminate treasure hunting is hurting the country, says Professor Jose Eleazar Bersales
Produced by: Tan Jia Ning (<a href="mailto:jianing@sph.com.sg">jianing@sph.com.sg</a>), Raul Dancel (<a href="mailto:rdancel@sph.com.sg">rdancel@sph.com.sg</a>), Magdalene Fung (<a href="mailto:magfung@sph.com.sg">magfung@sph.com.sg</a>), Ernest Luis and Teo Tong Kai
Edited by: Teo Tong Kai
Follow The Unsolved Mysteries Of South-east Asia podcast series here every third Tuesday of the month till July:
Channel: <a href="https://str.sg/wuZ2">https://str.sg/wuZ2</a>
Apple Podcasts: <a href="https://str.sg/wu3W">https://str.sg/wu3W</a>
Spotify: <a href="https://str.sg/wuJ9">https://str.sg/wuJ9</a>
Google Podcasts: <a href="https://str.sg/wE7i">https://str.sg/wE7i</a>
SPH Awedio app: <a href="https://www.awedio.sg/" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.awedio.sg/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1626404128619000&amp;usg=AFQjCNHDSssxZli9RVXvUhGQgefEXSvPRA">https://www.awedio.sg/</a>
Website: <a href="http://str.sg/stpodcasts" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://str.sg/stpodcasts&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1636193968351000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2-SV_Tydir8eZuWRLk6bCe">http://str.sg/stpodcasts</a>
Feedback to: <a href="mailto:podcast@sph.com.sg">podcast@sph.com.sg</a>
Read Raul Dancel's articles: <a href="https://str.sg/w7CR" data-cke-saved-href="https://str.sg/w7CR">https://str.sg/w7CR</a>
---
Discover more ST podcast channels:
All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: <a href="https://str.sg/wvz7">https://str.sg/wvz7</a>
The Usual Place: <a href="https://str.sg/wEr7u" data-stringify-link="https://str.sg/wEr7u" data-sk="tooltip_parent">https://str.sg/wEr7u</a>
In Your Opinion: <a href="https://str.sg/w7Qt">https://str.sg/w7Qt</a>
COE Watch: <a href="https://str.sg/iTtE">https://str.sg/iTtE</a>
Asian Insider: <a href="https://str.sg/JWa7">https://str.sg/JWa7</a>
Health Check: <a href="https://str.sg/JWaN">https://str.sg/JWaN</a>
Green Pulse: <a href="https://str.sg/JWaf">https://str.sg/JWaf</a>
Your Money &amp; Career: <a href="https://str.sg/wB2m">https://str.sg/wB2m</a>
Hard Tackle: <a href="https://str.sg/JWRE">https://str.sg/JWRE</a>
#PopVultures: <a href="https://str.sg/JWad">https://str.sg/JWad</a>
Music Lab: <a href="https://str.sg/w9TX">https://str.sg/w9TX</a>
---
ST Podcast website: <a href="http://str.sg/stpodcasts">http://str.sg/stpodcasts</a>
ST Podcasts YouTube: <a href="https://str.sg/4Vwsa">https://str.sg/4Vwsa</a>
---
Special edition series:
True Crimes Of Asia (6 eps): <a href="https://str.sg/i44T">https://str.sg/i44T</a>
The Unsolved Mysteries of South-east Asia (5 eps): <a href="https://str.sg/wuZ2">https://str.sg/wuZ2</a>
Invisible Asia (9 eps): <a href="https://str.sg/wuZn">https://str.sg/wuZn</a>
Stop Scams (10 eps): <a href="https://str.sg/wuZB">https://str.sg/wuZB</a>
Singapore's War On Covid (5 eps): <a href="https://str.sg/wuJa">https://str.sg/wuJa</a>
---
Get The Straits Times' app, which has a dedicated podcast player section:
The App Store: <a href="https://str.sg/icyB">https://str.sg/icyB</a>
Google Play: <a href="https://str.sg/icyX">https://str.sg/icyX</a>
#unsolved

Synopsis: In this special series, The Straits Times dives into some of the greatest unsolved mysteries in South-east Asia, and examines the underlying issues that they exposed.

Podcasters: Tan Jia Ning, Magdalene Fung and ST Foreign desk

Produced by podcast editor Ernest Luis & producer Teo Tong Kai, The Straits Times, SPH Media Trust. 

Synopsis: In this special series, The Straits Times dives into some of the greatest unsolved mysteries in South-east Asia, and examines the underlying issues that they exposed.
Podcasters: Tan Jia Ning, Magdalene Fung and ST Foreign desk
Produced by podcast editor Ernest Luis &amp; producer Teo Tong Kai, The Straits Times, SPH Media Trust.&nbsp;

Unsolved Mysteries of South East Asia

Synopsis: In this special series, The Straits Times dives into some of the greatest unsolved mysteries in South-east Asia, and examines the underlying issues that they exposed.
Podcasters: Tan Jia Ning, Magdalene Fung and ST Foreign desk
Produced by podcast editor Ernest Luis &amp; producer Teo Tong Kai, The Straits Times, SPH Media Trust.

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